Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To my immediate left is Don Cooper, deputy minister; to my right, Louise Dundas Matthews, director of financial management services; and, to the far right, Nora Sanders, assistant deputy minister. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yesterday, when you first started with your department, you had opening remarks with regard to the Department of Justice. The Minister indicated that in June, they will have 24 special constables going to Regina. I wonder if the bylaw officers are included from the Baffin region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, all 24 of those people are by-law officers. I don't know if I have the breakdown. Sorry. The final list hasn't been done yet as to where they are going to be coming from, but they are by-law officers for upgrade training.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It indicates in the policy for anyone who is going to be incarcerated, they can no longer be in jail for more than 90 days in the community. Then there are matters where people who are going to get arrested are arrested on the weekend and are able to get out in the week. When this happens in the community, it becomes very expensive. I wonder if this type of thing has been considered. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, could I ask the honourable Member to repeat his question?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was going to say that under the Criminal Code of Canada if the accused is given not less than 90 days for their sentence, it can be called an intermittent sentence. When the intermittent sentence is served in the community, for example, on the weekends only, the cost of the sentence can be very expensive and tiring in small communities. I was asking the Minister if he has looked into this matter. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, we have no say in what the judge sentences people. We try to work within the parameters of the system we are allowed. We would treat people in smaller communities who have intermittent sentences, no differently than those who are in larger centres; given that, we recognize it is a higher-cost form of incarceration as it stands now. That is one of the issues we are looking at through the community justice initiative for the future. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Minister also indicated yesterday that the correctional facilities are full to their capacity and he also indicated that the Iqaluit Baffin correctional centre is also very full ... (English not provided)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Minister indicated that a lot of the correctional facilities are overcrowded and there have to be some additions made to them. I am wondering if the Minister can indicate that, instead of making correctional facilities bigger, have they considered if it would be better to make the correctional facility smaller instead? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The proposed capital estimates is not for expanding any of the correctional facilities in existence, but to upgrade them and bring them up to an acceptable level. In some cases, particularly in the Baffin situation, it was made as a minimum secure facility and over time, it has progressed where they are holding more medium to high-risk offenders in a minimum facility that wasn't designed to hold those types of offenders on a short-term basis. It is to rectify some of those deficiencies that are there. We don't intend to make any of these facilities smaller because of the demand and the overcrowding that we have now, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am also concerned about legal aid. We do get support through legal aid. It is a very slow process in the smaller communities, especially if a person can't afford a lawyer. I am asking if we can get more support through legal aid so that it could go faster. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Legal aid is provided through the Legal Services Board. They try to provide the most effective program, given the resources they are given from our department. We recognize there is a higher demand because of increased caseloads throughout the Northwest Territories and it is an issue that the Legal Services Board will deal with on an ongoing basis. Thank you.